Integrating reflective practice into module and assessment design
Dr Amy Proctor describes how a new module was developed in SNES which embedded continuous reflection in taught sessions and through a reflective essay assessment.
Category: Natural and Environmental Sciences
Intelligent Assessment in the Age of AI: Enhancing Digital Pedagogy in Bioscience Education
Dr Matt Bawn convened a cross institutional workshop on GenAI and assessment and developed inclusive AI aware approaches that strengthen student critical thinking, transparency, and digital literacy through research informed practice.
Embedding Sustainable Development through interdisciplinary problem-based learning
Dr Amy Proctor and Michelle Black reflect on how they embedded interdisciplinary problem-based learning into the design of a new module in SNES to help students explore sustainability challenges, develop a broad understanding of the SDGs and develop collaborative experiences and essential skills for future careers.
CHEMmunicate: an ice breaking game to boost communication and community
Dr Cristina Navarro Reguero and Dr Matthew Hopkinson designed CHEMmunicate, a fun team game where students draw chemical structures by asking yes/no questions—boosting communication skills and reinforcing organic chemistry knowledge.
Using AI in a Problem-Based Learning session: “Hunger hotspots”
Dr Amy Proctor and Dr Beth Clark designed a problem-based learning session for students of Sustainability in Practice – a new shared module for Agriculture, Earth and Environment, and Applied Social Sciences Cluster (AESSC) students. In this session, students will use AI tools to generate solutions to food insecurity, and evaluate them critically.
Virtual Tours of the NU Farms
As part of the Agriculture, Earth and Environment, and Applied Social Sciences Cluster (AESSC) Curriculum Redesign Project within SNES, we have developed virtual tours of NU Farms using H5P. These virtual tours provide an immersive experience during Open Days, familiarise students and colleagues with the farms prior to field trips, and enrich fieldwork activities.
Team Work Training – Alien Alliance Groupwork Board Game
Dr Catherine Douglas (staff: she/her) and Manjot Brar (student intern: she/her) from the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, discuss the development of an innovative ice-breaking board game to enable students to discuss effective strategies for addressing common group working issues, and learn about the value of feedback. Students were integral to the design of the game which was funded to address requests for support in preparing for groupwork. This extremely successful pilot initiative will continue to be used and can be loaned out to anyone interested in reviewing the game and trialing with their students.
Working in partnership: tackling sustainability challenges with a student-led virtual event
Students from our University took part in a successful online event with students at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi (IITD) to share ideas around environmental sustainability.
Bringing the rocks into your house, virtual fieldtrips (VFT)
With Dr Cees van der Land, Dr Sanem Acikalin & Dr Mark Ireland Newcastle University School of Natural and Earth Sciences Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering What did you do? For our Earth Science students we developed a range of VFTs during which they learn to analyse and map the rock strata. We used Read more about Bringing the rocks into your house, virtual fieldtrips (VFT)[…]
Embedding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within first year biosciences skills teaching
The School of Natural and Environmental Sciences have utilised the Sustainable Development Goals as a platform to develop students’ global awareness and essential graduate attributes. Find out more from Dr Sara Marsham.